Doctors109
for 5

Spaxton 95 for 9

Doctors won the toss, chose to bat, and rocketed away as Dave Rooke
and Andrew Dodden smashed 24 runs off some short-pitched bowling in the first
two overs.Rooke was then caught by
keeper Gary Deimart off an express delivery from Andrew Jeanes (1-17) and
there followed a period of consolidation as Jeanes and Wayne Pither bowled
tightly.Dodden played with elegant
authority but two quick wickets for the flighted spin of Rob Seymour (2-14)
and another for Will Penny (1-5) slowed the scoring rate.The pressure to increase the tempo
accounted for Dodden (40) caught at deep gully by Pither off Darren Langlois
(1-18) and it was left to Ralph Hammond (17 n.o.) and Steve Witts (12 n.o.)
to collect what runs were available from the last four overs.

Both
sides thought that Doctors’ total of 109 was inadequate and when Langlois
and Scott Bellinger plundered 18 for Spaxton from the first over from Witts an
early finish looked likely.Witts (2-23)
had other ideas and came back strongly to have Langlois (17) well held by
Dodden at short extra cover and Penny caught at cover by Doug Johnson.It was now Spaxton’s turn to graft
for runs against the experienced duo of Witts and Peter Reed.Jeanes (12) tried to push the run rate up
but was eventually bowled by a super ball from Doug Johnson (3-29) who then
proceeded to capture another two quick wickets as the strong batting line-up took
a casual approach to chasing such a modest total.Not so Pither (24) who blasted 3 enormous
sixes and a four with characteristic power and the visitors were again in
command when Doctors’ captain Jeremy Budd called on Dodden to bowl.With his first ball he removed Pither’s
off stump and then, in tandem with Ed Johnson, almost completely dried up the
run scoring.Bellinger (12) had played
the anchor role until he too fell to Dodden and Spaxton, having been on top
for 85% of the match, suddenly found themselves out of it.Dodden’s excellent return of 4 for 10
confirmed his status as man of the match.